Install and activate Windows 11 Home

This guide shows you how to install and activate Windows 11 Home using the product key from your order email. There are two routes: activating an existing Windows 11 installation (Option A) or a complete clean installation from a USB stick (Option B).

Note: You received your 25-character product key by email after your purchase. Check your spam folder if necessary. An internet connection is required for activation.

System requirements

Windows 11 places higher demands on hardware than Windows 10. Before installing, check that your PC meets the following minimum requirements:

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster, at least 2 cores, 64-bit, approved by Microsoft for Windows 11
• Memory: at least 4 GB RAM
• Storage: at least 64 GB of free space
• Firmware: UEFI with Secure Boot enabled
• Security chip: TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module)
• Graphics: DirectX 12 compatible with WDDM 2.0 driver
• Display: HD resolution (720p), diagonal larger than 9 inches

Important: Windows 11 Home requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account during initial setup. Keep your sign-in details to hand or create a free account with Microsoft beforehand.

Option A: Activate an existing Windows 11 installation

If Windows 11 Home is already installed on your PC, for example as a non-activated version, you do not need to reinstall anything. Simply entering the product key is enough:

1. Open the Start menu and click Settings (gear icon).
2. Go to System > Activation.
3. Click Change product key.
4. Enter your 25-character product key in the blue window.
5. Confirm with Next. Windows then activates automatically over the internet.

Important note: The installed edition must match the key. A Windows 11 Home key will not activate a Pro version. You can see which edition is installed under Settings > System > About.

Option B: Clean install of Windows 11 Home

For a clean installation, first create installation media. We have compiled the official download sources for you on our download page.

Create installation media

1. Download the Media Creation Tool from the official Microsoft website ("Software Download" section on microsoft.com).
2. Connect a USB stick with at least 8 GB of storage. The stick will be formatted during the process.
3. Start the tool and select Create installation media for another PC. Follow the instructions until the bootable USB stick is ready. Alternatively, you can create an ISO file.

Caution: A clean installation deletes all data on the system drive. Back up important files to an external drive or to the cloud beforehand.

Run the installation

1. Boot the PC from the USB stick. Depending on the manufacturer, you can usually reach the boot menu by pressing F12, F2 or Del immediately after switching on.
2. Select your language, time and keyboard layout and click Install now.
3. Enter your product key as soon as you are asked for it. Alternatively, select I don't have a product key and complete the activation later using Option A. In that case, make sure you select Windows 11 Home as the edition.
4. Select Custom as the installation type to perform a clean installation.
5. Follow the initial setup and sign in with your Microsoft account. If you have already entered the key, Windows activates automatically as soon as an internet connection is available.

Check activation

To make sure the activation was successful:

1. Open Settings > System > Activation.
2. The activation state should show Active, usually with a note that Windows is activated with a digital licence.

Common problems

If activation does not work straight away, please check the following points:

• Avoid typing errors: Watch out for mix-ups such as 'O' and '0' or 'B' and '8'. It is best to copy the key directly from the email.
• Wrong edition installed: A Home key will not activate a Pro installation. Check the edition under Settings > System > About and, if necessary, reinstall with the Windows 11 Home edition.
• No internet connection: Activation runs through the Microsoft servers. Establish a stable connection and try again.
• Error after a hardware change: Run the activation troubleshooter that Windows offers under System > Activation.

Help & support

If none of these points solves the problem, our activation help offers further solutions for the most common activation errors.

Need personal assistance? You can reach our team via live chat. Every order includes 90 days of free support. Please have your order number ready.